The recycling of photovoltaic modules presents significant materials recovery challenges, particularly for silicon extraction. Current processes must handle complex layered structures containing metallurgical-grade silicon, silver contacts, and various metal contaminants, while maintaining silicon purity levels suitable for reuse. Field data shows that a typical 60-cell module contains approximately 1.5 kg of silicon that must be separated from encapsulants, glass substrates, and metal components.

The fundamental challenge lies in developing extraction methods that can achieve high silicon recovery rates while minimizing both energy consumption and the generation of hazardous byproducts.

This page brings together solutions from recent research—including selective flotation processes achieving 98.2% recovery rates, liquid nitrogen-based mechanical separation techniques, thermal treatment methods operating at temperatures above 1,000°C, and wet purification approaches using sequential chemical treatments. These and other approaches focus on practical implementation strategies that balance recovery efficiency with environmental impact and economic viability.

1. Enabling Circularity in the Photovoltaic Supply Chain Through Improved Upcycling and Recovery of Critical Materials from Endof-Life Modules

morgan v evans, albert j darling, karl rickert - Scientific Research and Community Ltd, 2025

The Department of Energys Solar Energy Technology Office recently set goals to reduce the cost recycling photovoltaic (PV) modules rival that landfilling by 2030. However, current costs are 3-9x more expensive than costs, which results in 90% panels being landfilled. There is significant opportunity posed large volumes crystalline silicon come offline near future, estimated contain $15B worth recoverable materials over next 25 years. One key many recyclers struggle achieve metallurgical grade purity critical and valuable such as silicon, silver, copper, other trace metals. full value contained end-of-life therefore not recovered increasing these offers potential improve profitability. Here we present a combined method for upcycling extraction purification metals innovative melt deep eutectic separation methods avoid use strong acids. process was developed on samples received from variety scrap PV-specific recycler partners US. Further, identified high value, specialty material applications can utilize upcycled at higher purities but do require associated with solar or semiconducto... Read More

2. Automated System for Sorting, Cleaning, and Shredding Used Solar Panels with Polarized Light Inspection and Wire Glass Breaking

SOLARCYCLE INC, 2025

Efficiently recycling and refurbishing used solar panels by automated sorting, cleaning, and shredding techniques. The sorting involves automated visual inspection using polarized light to assess panel condition. The cleaning removes dirt from the glass and backsheet using scrapers. Shredding involves breaking the glass using wires while leaving other layers intact. This allows separating the valuable materials like silicon cells, electrodes, and conductive tab ribbons for recycling or reuse. The approach aims to improve solar panel end-of-life management by extracting maximum value from recycling and refurbishment instead of landfilling.

3. NOx-Free Leaching Methods for Efficient Silver and Aluminium Recovery from Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

aistis rapolas zubas, egidijus griskonis, gintaras denafas - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2025

As photovoltaic (PV) installations expand globally, effective recycling of end-of-life crystalline silicon solar cells has become increasingly important, including the recovery valuable metals such as silver (Ag) and aluminium (Al). Traditional nitric acid-based chemical leaching methods, although effective, present environmental challenges due to generation hazardous nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. To address these concerns, this study investigated alternative hydrometallurgical strategies. Two selective treatments (NaOH for Al, NH3 + H2O2 Ag) one simultaneous treatment (HNO3 H2O2) were evaluated metal efficiency. All methods demonstrated high efficiencies, achieving at least 99% both within 60 min. The effectively suppressed NOx emissions without compromising These findings confirm that techniques incorporating hydrogen peroxide can achieve efficient environmentally safer from cells, providing insights into development more sustainable practices waste management.

4. Recovery of complete crystalline silicon cells from waste crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules

chengxin liu, bin lee - Taylor & Francis, 2025

In this study "Recovery of complete crystalline silicon cells from waste photovoltaic modules," a new process combining organic solvent method and thermal treatment is provided with the main objective efficient recovery intact cells. Pre-heating ultrasonic-assisted toluene dissolution EVA adhesive film are used to strip fluorine-containing backsheets, which centrally processed reused achieve environmental protection resource reuse. The then thermally degraded obtain cell. Finally, Ag Al were efficiently recovered by chemical methods. optimized has advantages high integrity rate recycled cells, low recycling cost pollution.

5. Selective Flotation Process for Silicon Recovery from Diamond Wire Cutting Waste Slurry with Surface-Modified Silicon Particles

UNIV KUNMING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 2024

A flotation process for recovering silicon from diamond wire cutting waste slurry through selective flotation of silicon particles. The process employs a modified silicon surface that enhances the separation efficiency through selective adsorption of collectors like dodecylamine, which improves hydrophobicity. The modified silicon particles, now with enhanced surface properties, are selectively retained during flotation, while the filter cake is processed to remove impurities. This method achieves a silicon recovery rate of 98.2% through a single-step flotation process, addressing environmental and production challenges associated with diamond wire cutting.

6. Recycling Method for Silicon Photovoltaic Laminates Using Liquid Nitrogen Immersion and Controlled Mechanical Separation

JIANGXI GREEN RECYCLING CO LTD, 2024

A physical recycling method for waste silicon photovoltaic laminates that effectively separates silicon chips and glass panels while minimizing environmental risks. The method employs a combination of liquid nitrogen immersion, mechanical removal, and mechanical friction to recover valuable materials from the laminates. The process involves heating the laminates to 350-450°C to decompose the EVA and PET layers, followed by controlled mechanical removal and mechanical friction to separate the silicon chips from the glass and backplane components. This approach enables complete silicon chip recovery while maintaining the integrity of the glass and backplane materials, significantly reducing the environmental impact of traditional recycling methods.

7. Method for Material Concentration from Solar Cells via Heat Treatment, Crushing, Classification, and Sorting

DOWA ECOSYSTEM CO LTD, 2024

A method for efficiently concentrating valuable materials from solar cell structures by combining heat treatment, crushing, classification, and sorting. The process involves heat-treating the solar cell structure at high temperatures (1,000°C or higher), followed by crushing and sorting to separate the material into distinct grain sizes. The crushed material undergoes further processing, including classification and sorting, to separate the high-grade metallic silicon from other components. The concentrated silicon can then undergo additional processing steps, such as refining and purification, to achieve high purity levels.

8. Sequential Wet Purification Process for Silicon Extraction from Photovoltaic Modules

HENAN BLUE SKY NEW ENERGY TECH CO LTD, 2024

A method for recycling photovoltaic modules by using a wet purification process to extract silicon from the module structure. The process involves sequential alkali cleaning, pickling, and drying steps to remove contaminants and silicon residue from the module's backplate, glass, and frame. The silicon is then extracted through the wet purification process, which uses a combination of alkali and acid solutions to dissolve and separate the silicon from other impurities. The extracted silicon is then purified further through multiple rinses and drying steps before being processed into high-purity silicon.

9. Thermal and Chemical Process for Selective Perovskite Layer Removal from Silicon Photovoltaic Cells

SHENZHEN HEIJING OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2024

A method for recycling silicon photovoltaic cells from tandem solar cells, achieving complete removal of perovskite layers without chemical reactions with perovskite components. The method involves a thermal separation and chemical cleaning process that selectively dissolves the perovskite sub-cells while preserving the silicon substrate. The perovskite is extracted through organic solvents, and the resulting silicon substrate is then processed for further use in solar cells or other applications.

CN117529190A-patent-drawing

10. Multi-Step Silicon Separation and Purification Process for Solar Cell Recycling

YIDAO NEW ENERGY TECH CO LTD, 2024

A novel method for recycling silicon materials from solar cells that addresses the challenges of current recycling processes. The method involves a multi-step process that separates and purifies silicon from the solar cell components. The process begins by removing the glass and metal components, followed by crushing the remaining silicon material into fragments. These fragments are then mixed with a surfactant and further processed to separate the silicon from the other materials. The purified silicon is then refined to produce high-purity silicon ingots. This approach enables the recovery of valuable silicon components while minimizing the generation of hazardous materials during the recycling process.

11. Molten Alkali Leaching Method for Selective Silicon and Silver Recovery from Waste Solar Panels

WUHAN UNIVERSITY, 2024

A novel method for efficient and environmentally friendly silicon and silver recycling from waste solar panels. The process utilizes a molten alkali leaching method to selectively extract and recover silicon and silver from the solar panel's metallurgical-grade silicon (MG-Si) and metallurgical-grade silicon (MG-Si) wafers, respectively. The recovery process involves a controlled temperature and salt composition in the molten salt, enabling rapid separation of the target materials from the remaining photovoltaic material. The method achieves higher purity silicon and silver recoveries compared to conventional recycling methods, with a simplified preparation process and lower environmental impact.

CN117339981A-patent-drawing

12. Controlled Thermal Disassembly Method for Photovoltaic Panel Component Extraction

FERI S.R.O, 2024

A method for extracting valuable components from photovoltaic panels through controlled thermal disassembly, enabling the recovery of reusable materials. The process involves cooling the photovoltaic panel's glass structure with liquid nitrogen while maintaining structural integrity, followed by mechanical separation of the glass and aluminum frame. The cooled glass is then processed to remove contaminants and prepare it for further processing into raw materials. The aluminum frame is then extracted and processed into individual profiles, which can be used in new photovoltaic panels or other products.

CZ2022274A3-patent-drawing

13. Method for Pyrolytic Separation and Metal Ion Recovery from Silicon-Containing Photovoltaic Module Waste

UNIV KUNMING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 2023

A green and efficient method for the separation and recycling of photovoltaic modules containing silicon-containing waste. The method involves pyrolyzing the core components to produce glass, solder ribbons, and battery sheets, followed by cleaning, vacuum drying, and recycling of these residues. The process then converts the cleaned battery sheets into a nitric acid solution containing silver nitrate, aluminum nitrate, and impurities, followed by the controlled leaching of silver and aluminum to produce high-purity metal ions. The recovered metal ions are then converted into usable form through selective precipitation, ion exchange, or electrolysis.

CN117244920A-patent-drawing

14. Two-Stage Treatment Method for Silicon Recovery from Solar Cells Using Sodium Hydroxide and Mixed Acid Solution

TRINASOLAR CO LTD, 2023

A novel method for efficient and environmentally friendly silicon recycling from solar cells. The process involves a two-stage treatment sequence: first, the solar cells are soaked in a sodium hydroxide solution to remove surface layers, followed by a mixed acid treatment of nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid. This sequential approach enables the recovery of both silicon and valuable metals while minimizing waste generation. The method achieves high silicon recovery rates, especially for silicon-containing solar cells, and presents a practical alternative to traditional acid-based recycling methods.

15. Photovoltaic Module Recycling Method Utilizing Laser Cleaning and Sequential Etching for High-Quality Silicon Recovery

CHINA ENERGY LONGYUAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION CO LTD, 2023

A recycling method for photovoltaic modules that achieves high-quality silicon recovery through controlled laser cleaning and etching. The method employs laser cleaning to remove glass and chip residue, followed by sequential etching steps to remove the silicon wafer and aluminum back electrode. The laser cleaning process uses different power settings to prevent chip damage while ensuring complete separation of the components. The etching process employs controlled etching parameters to remove the remaining aluminum and silver electrodes. This approach enables the selective recovery of high-quality silicon wafers while preserving the integrity of the glass plates.

16. Chemical Treatment Method for Photovoltaic Module Component Recycling with Anhydrous Sulfuric Acid and Metal Enrichment

YINGLI SOLAR DEV CO LTD, 2023

A method for efficient and environmentally friendly recycling of photovoltaic module components through chemical treatment. The method involves the recovery of silicon, silver, and aluminum from decommissioned photovoltaic modules through anhydrous sulfuric acid treatment, followed by selective enrichment of these metals through chemical separation. This process enables the recovery of valuable metals without requiring complex acid leaching processes or high-energy thermal treatments. The recovered metals can be used directly in the production of new photovoltaic cells or other semiconductor applications, while minimizing environmental impact.

CN116750767A-patent-drawing

17. Photovoltaic Cell Assembly Recycling System with Pyrolysis and Gasification for Material Recovery

JERRY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2023

A pyrolysis-based recycling system for photovoltaic cell assemblies that utilizes controlled thermal decomposition to recover valuable materials. The system comprises a pyrolysis device, separation device, and gasification device that work in tandem to convert photovoltaic cell components into pure silicon and other valuable materials. The pyrolysis process involves heating the cell assembly in a controlled environment to initiate decomposition, followed by separation of the resulting materials through various techniques. The gasification device further processes the separated materials to produce a clean and pure silicon product.

CN116673309A-patent-drawing

18. Single-Step Photovoltaic Module Recycling via Thermal Cutting, Crushing, and Chemical Component Recovery

UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BEIJING, 2023

A method for recycling photovoltaic modules through a single-step process that efficiently recovers all components, including glass, plastic, aluminum, copper, silver, and silicon. The method involves thermal cutting to separate components, followed by crushing and sorting of cells to obtain tinned copper strips and cell powders. The copper strips are then processed using acid leaching to extract silver, while the silicon powder is purified through a combination of acid leaching and chemical treatment. The purified components are then combined to form a new product with high value-added properties.

19. Method for Recycling Photovoltaic Modules via Electrostatic Separation of Shredded Particles

UNIV FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL UFRGS, 2023

Method for recycling photovoltaic modules by selectively separating and recovering valuable components through electrostatic separation. The method involves mechanically separating the module's sandwich structure, shredding the resulting particles, and then using an electrostatic separator to separate the particles into two distinct fractions. The first fraction contains less than 5% polymer particles and is substantially free of glass particles, while the second fraction contains higher polymer content. The fractions are then further processed through multiple electrostatic separations, with the second fraction being recycled back into the process.

20. Method for Producing High-Purity Silicon Nanopowder via Vacuum Thermal Plasma Processing of Solar Panel Waste

CHUNGBUK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, 2023

Method for producing high-purity silicon nanopowder from solar panel waste, followed by its use as a negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. The process involves rapid cooling of the solar panel to separate its components, followed by the recovery of silicon scrap. The silicon is then processed using vacuum thermal plasma to produce high-purity silicon nanopowder. This nanopowder is then used as a negative electrode material in lithium-ion batteries, offering a significant environmental and economic alternative to traditional battery materials.

21. Pulsed Airflow Sorting System for Silicon Wafer Separation from Photovoltaic Module Components

22. Method for Producing High-Purity Silicon from Solar Waste via Multi-Stage Selective Metal Leaching

23. Method for Recycling Waste Silicon via Integrated Pyrolysis and Grinding Process

24. Method for Recycling Photovoltaic Modules with Two-Step Heat Treatment and Nano-Texturization of Silicon Wafers

25. Method for Precious Metal Recovery from Solar Cells Using Multi-Step Selective Leaching and Precipitation

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